This invention relates to layered mixed oxides intercalated with cations. More particularly, layered oxides containing Group VB or VIB transition metals are intercalated with cations.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,766,064 discloses that heavy metal chalcogenides wherein the chalcogen is sulfur, selenium, or tellurium and the heavy metal is titanium, vanadium, zirconium, niobium, hafnium, tantalum, palladium, platinum, and gallium can be intercalated with guest species such as ammonia, hydrazine and organic nitrogen compounds. The heavy metal chalcogenide may contain a single heavy metal cation or mixtures of such cations. The guests are electron donors or acceptors, have strong polarization interactions or are capable of d-orbital bonding. U.S. Pat. No. 3,688,109 describes x-ray diffraction gratings containing similar heavy metal chalcogenides intercalated with Lewis acids or bases, charge transfer donors or acceptors, compounds with large polarization interactions or compounds capable of d-orbital bonding. Ionic molecules are stated to have large polarization interactions. Chalcogens are sulfur, selenium, or tellurium.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,980,684 teaches compounds wherein a metallocene is intercalated into a layered metal chalcogenide. The metal is selected from Groups IVb, Vb, tin or mixtures of Groups Vb and VIb and the chalcogen is selenium or sulfur. U.S. Pat. No. 4,094,893 is directed to intercalation compounds wherein a host of the formula TX.sub.2 where T is Ti, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Mo or W, and X is S, Se or Te is intercalated with an isonitrile organic guest.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,933,688 relates to a method of lithiating metal chalcogenides of the formula MZ.sub.y where Z is S, Se or Te and M is a Group IVb metal, Group Vb metal, Mo, W, Ti, Pt, Re, Ge, Sn or Pb and y is from 1 to 4 to form lithium intercalates.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,049,887 discloses an improved cathode wherein the cathode-active material is an intercalated layered compound of the formula MA.sub.x B.sub.y where M is Fe, V, Ti, Cr or In, A is an oxide, sulfide, selenide or telluride, B is a halide and x and y are equal to about 2.
Whittingham, J. Electrochem. Soc., 123, 315 (1976) discloses that cell reactions between lithium and several transition metal oxides and sulfides produce ternary phases. Cell reversibility was found to be optimized where no chemical bonds were broken during discharge, i.e., where ternary phases were formed by an intercalation reaction. The V.sub.2 O.sub.5 system results in some broken chemical bonds and therefore only partial or difficult reversibility is found. Chernorukov et al., Russian J. Inorg. Chem., 23, 1627 (1978) and 24, 987 (1979) report on structural studies of NbOPO.sub.4.3H.sub.2 O and NbOPO.sub.4.2H.sub.3 PO.sub.4.5H.sub.2 O. Both compounds are reported to have layered structures which are capable of reversible intracrystalline expansion by absorbing various molecules.